Author Note: Warning – here there be smut but you will be alerted (if you are easily offended please wait for Chapter 14)

Chapter 13 – Oh, What a Night!

The hall lights came up signaling the festivities were coming to an end for the evening. Eric held Jackie's hand as she made her rounds paying the vendors that helped with the party. When Jackie was instructing a crew about moving the hay and tables, Brooke pulled Eric aside.

"I don't know what's going on with you two – it looks pretty intense but this is a warning that you better not hurt her."

Eric looked at Brooke's serious brown eyes, "I would never knowingly hurt her Brooke."

"Well, you are still freshly divorced and she deserves better than to be a rebound girlfriend. Just remember that okay?" Brooke kissed his cheek. "Are you coming to watch Michael and the pigs tomorrow?"

He grinned. "I wouldn't miss it. Hey, I hope you like the suite I put you guys in." Brooke smiled, "Love the huge bathroom. Tell Jackie good night for me okay?"

Jackie came bounding back with her day planner, "Hey, would you mind riding with me back to my room? There are too many cowboys around here, if you know what I mean."

Eric grinned and tweaked her nose. "Yeah, and you are too cute to be running around this hotel by yourself." She smiled at him and he got that flip-flop in his gut again.

*

Eric opened the suite door while Jackie balanced her day planner and some receipt files in her hands. She dropped her packages on the end table near the door and breathed a sigh of relief. She walked over to the plate glass windows and was pleasantly surprised to see sailboats anchored on the lake with warm lights glowing in the dark.

Eric stood next to her. "I thought you'd like the view." She was startled for a second because she didn't hear him walk up. "It's beautiful. The moonlight is shining so perfect. This was such a great day wasn't it?"

"I liked the twinkle lights you added to the room and back lawn. It reminded me of a fairyland kind of place."

She smiled, "Girls like it. "

"Guys like it too. They just don't say it out loud."

She giggled. "God, it was so intense, I wish I had to words to describe how incredible it felt when I lassoed the bull and then when I didn't get bucked off. If I had a little Jackie bubble of excitement, I would pull you into it so you could feel the same exhilaration I'm still feeling."

'Well, it was more than a little exciting for us guys watching you ride it too!"

SMUT ALERT

She smiled shyly. "But I don't care what the other guys thought." She looked up at him with those gorgeous eyes and said, "So…do you need to go home right away or anything?" She was flirting back at him with words from their practice date.

He grabbed the edges of her cowgirl vest and pulled her close. "Actually I was thinking of taking this girl to a movie, but she's already seen it. In fact, we're doing this practice dating thing. I'm sure you've heard of it."

Jackie's lips curled in a smile. "Why yes, I have. Dinner and a movie – but what happens after the movie?"

Eric tugged a lock of hair of her silky hair, "I could… show you…maybe…." He said as an invitation. Her eyes got big and she smirked, "Well, maybe I should see how well you do…on a practice date."

Without words, Eric wrapped his arms around her shoulders and nuzzled his face in her neck, his warm puffs of breath giving her shivers. She closed her eyes and remembered that crazy bull riding kiss he gave her – god that was so freaking incredible! His hands were drawing slow lazy circles over her back and he grabbed the hem of her vest pulling it up and over her head.

The article of clothing was thrown to the floor as he walked her towards the bedroom door. She tugged at his shirt. He swatted her hands away as he kissed and nibbled her lips while unbuttoning the shirt material and letting his arms fall out of the sleeves. Jackie's small hands were feeling his muscles, squeezing the biceps, scratching his forearms – she reached his hands and sighed loudly.

Eric pressed her up against the wall and drew her hands above her head. He held her there with one hand and with the other held her jaw so he could taste her lips again. He pressed one strong thigh between her legs and found she was pressing back – he smiled against her mouth.

"How am I doing so far?" he smirked.

She was trying not to rock against him. "Shut up and kiss me." He let go of her hands and started to unbutton her little checkered blouse. Jackie loved his strong back muscles under her palms and she followed the path of his ribcage around to his flat stomach.

Eric's heart was beating at least a million beats a minutes as she unbuckled his belt. The leather snaked free with not so much as a whisper. Under her open blouse was a sexy little white camisole – Eric pulled the blouse free of her shoulders and she trembled.

The two of them stumbled towards the bed. Eric flung the bedspread back with one hand while still holding Jackie and kissing her. He couldn't ever remember being this aroused in months and Jackie was just so freaking hot he couldn't think coherently.

She fell back on the mattress, "My boots!" He grabbed the spiky leather and pulled off the right boot and it went flying. The left boot landed somewhere in the bathroom. Jackie was unbuttoning his jeans and Eric was trying to unzip hers.

Somewhere on the floor was a pile of denim. Finally free of the shirts and pants, Eric lay on the bed beside her and pulled her length against him - damn she was so hot and curvy and warm and he was so incredibly turned on right now!

Jackie turned her face towards him and kissed his lips so softly Eric could only feel her slight breath as she whispered. "I think we want to same thing…"

Eric nodded his head. Oh yeah, he did!

Jackie asked, "Do you have a…."

Eric asked, "Are you on the…"

Simultaneously they stared at each other in disbelief and cried, "No!"

Crap.

Shit.

Jackie rolled on her back – this was NOT happening. Not right now, not the way she was feeling!

Eric covered his face with his hands. Fifteen months – fifteen freaking months and he never bought a condom? What kind of idiot am I?

He was startled by Jackie suddenly sitting up on the mattress. Please don't go anywhere. He glanced over her seeing the playful glint in her eyes. He hadn't accounted for her mischievous streak.

"Eric…this is a practice date isn't it?" She asked with a curious smile turning up her lips. He rolled on his side and looked to see what she was up to. She rose to her knees and motioned with her finger for him to do the same.

"Jackie? What are you thinking? We can't do this!"

She only grinned. "I don't want to sound like Fez…but you have needs….and I have needs….and if we leave our underwear on….then technically we're not doing it."

Eric thought she was a bit insane but let her continue. '"I mean there are things we can do that are just as much fun without having the doing it part. What do you think?"

"I think you better show me because I have no imagination."

Jackie scooted closer until she was pulling at the elastic of his boxers. Little Eric sprung back to life. Big Eric blushed and coughed, "Um, what exactly are you doing?"

Jackie smirked, "We're practicing Eric and people do this all the time. Only, the underwear are staying on, can you handle that?" She grabbed him by the hips and pulled him up against her stomach. Oh yeah, he could handle that!

Eric spread his knees and Jackie straddled his thigh rubbing herself against him in a slow rhythm. His hands slid under her camisole and palmed her breasts as he kissed her deeply and thoroughly. Jackie's small hand was reaching into his shorts and keeping the same slow rhythm there too.

Eric groaned and pulled her against his chest his hands wandering down her back to the tiny sliver of fabric that covered her curvy hips. He savored the slight whimper he heard as she pressed harder against his leg.

They both easily found that the slow rhythm was gaining in intensity and wouldn't be slow much longer as they kissed and touched and caressed each other in otherwise forbidden places.

Jackie could feel the satiny fabric of her camisole slide away to be replaced with his tongue rasping across her sensitive breasts. She squeezed him tighter and she pressed herself harder against his leg. So close….she was so close.

Eric's touched her quivering bottom lip with his thumb before crashing against her lips as her hand worked its magic. Jackie trembled and his final kiss brought her to a place where she couldn't even think any more. She fell against his chest as he shuddered beneath her. "Oh my God, Jackie…." He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her eyes and tenderly kissed her bruised lips.

She smiled lazily and pulled him back with her onto the bed. It wasn't what she wanted but it was good! He rolled on his side, "I can truthfully say that you have taken my virginity…in that way."

She laughed softly. "I think its better this way, you know? We weren't ready…" He covered her mouth with his hand, "Don't say anything. This was better than you can even imagine…I've been lusting after you all night."

She smiled. "I know…I've been leading you on so…." she sighed as he trailed her fingers over her stomach. "There's just something about you…it's like you've gotten under my skin and I can't decide if that's a good thing or not."

"Too much talk." He said kissing the side of her mouth. "Let's sleep and we'll figure this out in the morning."

Jackie grinned and scooted into his arms which were warm and relaxed. Within mere minutes they were asleep.

SMUT ALERT OVER

*

Eric didn't even hear the alarm go off. When Jackie slid out of bed in the early morning hours, he merely grabbed her pillow and hugged it to his chest. She smiled – he was so quirky sometimes! She showered and dressed in anticipation for the Cowboy Breakfast that started at an ungodly hour of six a.m. She wrote him a quick note and grabbing her paperwork hurried out to the back lawn.

*

There were plenty of hung-over cowboys and cowgirls lining up at the Cowboy Chuck Wagon with plates in hand for a scoop of eggs, some bacon and the strongest coffee Texas makes. Jackie found Red and Kitty sitting with Spencer and Olivia eating breakfast.

"Good morning!" she said brightly. Kitty motioned for her to sit at the picnic table with them. Red was digging into his pancakes. "Hello Jackie. I don't know how you managed to arrange all this and not go insane."

Jackie's mind wandered back to the comfortably warm bed she had just left and the secure feeling of Eric's arms holding her as they slept. She blinked. "Well Mr. Forman, I take a lot of notes and do my research and then ta-da!"

Spencer wiped his mouth with his napkin. "The lunch barbeque will be quite memorable. That cow has been cooking all night over low heat. The meat will be falling off the bones. Red, when I get back to the ranch, I'll ship you some of my next slaughter."

Red grinned. "I'd like that Spencer. We don't get much Angus beef out here – that would be a treat."

"Mrs. Forman, can I leave my book here while I grab a plate?"

Kitty smiled, "Sure honey, did you get enough sleep last night? You look rather peaked!" Jackie grinned; she couldn't tell the truth but managed to reassure Kitty that she was fine. She was getting heaping spoon of scrambled eggs when Brooke cut in the line behind her. "Good morning Jackie. Or is it Good Morning Jackie and Eric?"

Jackie looked back and grinned. "What are you talking about?" Brooke smirked, "We noticed that the Vista Cruiser is still here and we also know that Eric doesn't work on Saturdays…."

Jackie feigned ignorance. "Maybe he spent the night with his folks?"

Brooke laughed and danced around her short friend. "Did not - we came down the elevator with Red and Kitty. So…what bed did Eric sleep in?"

Jackie blushed. "Mine okay? Shut up and I'll tell you later. It's not what you think."

Brooke put her plate out for some bacon. "Oh, I think it's more than what I think. Wait, don't try to confuse me."

"And don't say anything to Michael – he has a blabbermouth!"

Brooke grinned. "I won't but you have to tell me everything!" Jackie grabbed a piece of toast. "I will – but after the party is over!"

*

Eric woke up smiling from the best nights sleep he ever remembered having. Jackie was gone, but there was a pot of coffee in the small dinette and an envelope with his name on it. He stretched and yawned and padded into the bathroom for a shower.

He opened Jackie's note:

Eric

Hope you slept well. I had to start work at 6:00 this morning so go home and change clothes or everyone will know you didn't go home!

Here's your Event Staff badge, come back and watch Michael chase a pig!

By the way – last night was the best sex I almost never had!

Jackie

Eric held the coveted Event badge in his hand and smiled. This was a great day!

*